Gender-based rights campaigners want outrage over the remand of transgender rapists in women’s prisons to be a ‘turning point’ for Britain.
Conversation with NTD’s Lee Hall “British Thought Leaders” ProgramKate Coleman, director of Keep Prisons Single Sex, said the Adam Graham case should be “seized” in the fight to protect female prisoners.
Graham began to identify as a woman while awaiting trial for raping two women, but was initially remanded to Scotland’s only women’s prison after being convicted in January. .
A 31-year-old woman was convicted of one count of sexual assault in 2016 in Clydebank and two in Drumchapel in Glasgow in 2019.
Graham, now using the name “Isla Bryson,” was immediately taken into custody while awaiting sentencing.
The case caused an uproar when it was revealed that Graham had been transferred from court to the all-female Corntonvale Prison before being transferred to a man’s estate.
Following the controversy, Scottish Attorney General Keith Brown ordered an urgent review of the case.
The Scottish Prison Service has also decided to stop the transfer of all transgender prisoners with a history of violence against women to women’s properties.
vulnerable female prisoner
Coleman said: “I hope that we can seize this moment to truly find justice for women in prison and to have the single-sex space that they not only deserve but desperately need.
“We know women in prison are among the most vulnerable in society.
“A recent study found that 80% of female criminals in prisons in Scotland had a history of serious head injury, which is quite shocking.”
Coleman said about two-thirds of prisoner injuries were “caused by domestic violence.”
“Obviously not all women, but the pattern of discomfort women typically have is that it’s tied to their relationships with men and the sins they commit,” she said.
“And all of a sudden you have violent male criminals, or male criminals in jail together, and you’re saying, ‘Hello, this is a woman. This is Isla. You have to call her her.’ .
“I mean, it’s scary.”
devastating impact
Campaigners also touched on other cases in which violent male prisoners started identifying as women and were transferred to women’s prisons in the UK.
“From conversations with prisoners, families, former and current officers, I know more cases, but I can’t go into too much detail.
“But looking north of the border, five men who claim to be women are believed to be currently being held in a women’s prison. One, I don’t know what the crime category is.
“For men’s eligibility, we believe about a dozen people are applying and seeking to obtain women’s eligibility. ”
South of the border, Coleman said, between 14 and 16 transgender prisoners are held in women’s facilities.
“That includes men with intact penises,” she added. “A man convicted of murder, a man convicted of manslaughter, multiple serious child sex crimes, rape, that, you know, is a serious and violent criminal.
These numbers may sound small. There are five of him in Scotland, with a female prison population of about 350.
“And south of the border between England and Wales, the women’s prison population is about 3,600.
“So you would say OK, well, those are pretty small numbers.
“But the impact of even one male inmate can have a devastating effect on an entire prison.”
identified as an infant
The Adam Graham/Isla Bryson case has led to revelations about how other violent male inmates were moved to Scotland’s only women’s prison after they began to identify as women.
Last month, it was reported that 4 out of 5 transgender inmates at HMP Cornton Vale were murderers.
According to The Times of London, it is said to include Sophie Eastwood (formerly known as Daniel Eastwood), who strangled a cellmate at the Dumfries Young Criminals Facility in 2004.
Eastwood’s prison term was later extended for an attack on a prison guard before deciding to identify as a woman in 2018.
The killer has now been identified as an infant and is said to want all meals “mixed together like baby food.”
Bryson first appeared in court in 2019 as Adam Graham, then was named in court papers as Isla Annie Bryson, formerly known as Adam Graham, the following year before and after the transition decision. rice field.
He appeared in court again on Tuesday and was sentenced to eight years in prison and three years’ license for the rape of two vulnerable women.
Lord Scott, who sentenced the 31-year-old woman in Edinburgh High Court, said: “You are not at a stage to accept what you have done or to admit the serious harm you have done to two women.” rice field.
He said rapists “have a high risk of recidivism” and added that “a high degree of supervision would be required.”
pressure
Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon has come under heavy pressure from campaigners, parliamentarians and Downing Street after expressing concern that a transgender rapist will be sent to a women’s prison to await sentencing. I got
Sturgeon, who abruptly resigned last month, eventually resigned and confirmed that Bryson would not be incarcerated in a women’s prison.
The controversy further escalated after it was reported that another transgender criminal was rubber stamped when he demanded he be moved to a women’s prison.
Andrew Burns, who now uses the name “Tiffany Scott,” reportedly requested a transfer to a women’s prison.
The Daily Record reported in January that the request was granted despite Burns having a history of violence and serving a lifelong restraining order.
Opposing Scottish Conservatives said Burns had attacked a female staff member while in a men’s prison and said that “such a violent and dangerous offender is scheduled to be transferred to a women’s prison” is “absolutely unacceptable”. I’m horrified.”
In response to the backlash, Scottish Attorney General Keith Brown announced an “urgent review” of the management of transgender prisoners.
He said transgender prisoners with a history of violence against women will not be placed in women’s prisons until the review is complete.
Just this week, the UK government expanded the scope of its rules barring some transgender offenders from women’s prisons in England and Wales.
Attorney General Dominic Raab announced in October that women’s prisons would no longer hold trans women who have penises or have committed sex crimes.
On Sunday, he confirmed that the measures will go into effect on February 27.
He also said that as part of the ban, it has updated its policy to include transgender women convicted of violent crimes.
PA Media contributed to this report.